The Student Is Ready

Friday May 16th, 2008 - Milwaukee, WI/Lake Villa, IL

Grunt. Sweat. Creak. Sweat. Groan. Sweat. That pretty well sums up the first hour of an action packed day today. I got up early and took an hour long walk on a sunny morning. It got me in a groove and broke a full sweat but I loved it. I’m starting to get hooked on this.

After a shower that felt even better I drove up to Milwaukee to be on the ‘D List’ radio show on ESPN Radio 540. I love hanging out on the air. I can usually crack off a couple of one liners that make the guys laugh so I’ve done my job. Then I have lunch with Drew Olson who I’ve known for years. He’s a very positive guy and makes it worth the drive.

We had lunch at a place called ‘Cheesy Grill’ near Miller Park. It’s a joint that sells the best grilled cheese sandwiches around and Drew and I both had one with Sloppy Joe meat added to it which was quite scrumptious. I didn’t have a Pepsi but I sure wanted one. We both did have a cup of tomato soup that complemented the sandwich perfectly. Good eats.

The real reason I went to Milwaukee today was to follow up with my friend Todd’s guy who has the t-shirt business. I called him yesterday to set up an appointment and we had a meeting after the radio show and lunch. He was very gracious and showed me all around.

He’s been in business since 1956 and got started working for his dad at age 12. He sure did know the silk screening business and he gave me the nickel tour of how it all works. It was nice of him to do that and in a short time I learned that I have been very lucky to have chosen comedy as my life’s work. There may have been troubles but at least I enjoyed it.

There didn’t look to be too many things that were enjoyable about screening t-shirts. He said he’s not rich but he’s not broke and it’s made him a living his whole life. He has a lot of accounts with little league baseball in several suburbs and some other big accounts that he’s gotten through the years. He said whoever bought the business would get all of them.

That’s not guaranteed though. HE is the guy who forged all the relationships with those clients. I or anyone else would come in and they could bolt tomorrow. He’s got his way of doing things and anyone else coming in would have a whole new way of doing it and that happens with any change of hands of a business. He spent his life to perfect what he does.

It was very interesting to see how the business works. He showed me the machines that make the silk screen and then he sends it through a conveyor which bakes it on the shirts. I watched the process for a few minutes and it was about 173 degrees in there. That place belches heat and I’m sure summers are no picnic in that joint. I was sweating a lot today.

He also took me in the basement and showed me all his operation down there. He’s got thousands of his silk screens all in order and he’s cataloged them all on 3x5 cards with an appropriate number. He’s taken 40 years to accumulate that system and it works for him. I wouldn’t have any idea how to figure it out and it would be months or even years before I could get my own system going and get the place humming. This is not an easy operation.

But at least I learned something and made the effort to follow up and call him. I thanked him for his time and gave him my business card and a CD and he was very impressed that I had one. He asked why I would want to get into the silk screen business and I explained the Uranus Factory Outlet idea and it cracked both him and his assistant up. They got it.

That made me feel great. I know there’s something with this idea but now I need to find out exactly what it is. I don’t think it’s spending my days in a sweat shop cranking out my own shirts but if that’s what it takes to get started I’d be willing to do it for a little while.

I had to pay dues as a comedian and I’m willing to pay some with my new venture but it boils down to a matter of time. This guy started when he was 12 in 1956. I’m not 12 and I don’t have that kind of time. I need to find someone to hire to make these shirts - not me. I don’t think it would hurt to know how though and I told him I wanted to stay in touch.

I don’t remember exactly where but I know I heard this: ‘When the student is ready the teacher will appear.’ I’m the student. I’m ready. I was a student of comedy for years and I learned it well. I still study it but at least I have the proficiency to make a living doing it.

All the other stuff is totally new to me. I have NO idea how to make any of this come to be but I am doing it anyway. It’s like taking a trip to California. There are many ways that can be accomplished and if I knock on enough doors and ask enough people someone will be able to help me get there. I might have to take a plane, train, bus or car. Or hitch hike.

I may have to use all of those methods but if I really wanted to get to California and had all my focus on getting there eventually I know I would. The same holds true here. I’ll get my website up and then I’ll find a way to get products to sell and then I’ll sell them and if I don’t I’ll get other ones and then I’ll keep doing that until I find ones that people want.

That’s oversimplifying it but not really. I didn’t have desire one to make a t-shirt until a short time ago and then I talked to my friend Todd and he mentioned the guy’s name that I met today. I looked around and learned about his business and maybe I’ll use him to get my first few orders done. If he doesn’t work out I’ll go find someone else. It’s no secret.

I need to do the same thing with bumper stickers and greeting cards and whatever else I can come up with to sell on the site. Then I have to promote the site and get publicity but that’s where I will shine. I know how to talk on the radio and that will put me over. I will be able to knock that out with no problem but making the shirts myself isn’t my dream.

This was still a very productive day though. I listened to my E. Joseph Cossman course the whole way up and back and that guy was really a winner. I wish I’d have met him but he died several years ago. The one thing I’m learning from him though is basic marketing.

It doesn’t matter what products I choose to sell it matters how I market them. I do have a bit of a flair for showmanship and that will put me over the top. Listening to these tapes really has my brain bathed in this project and I’m glad I took time to meet the t-shirt guy.